So-called “pop-up” toasters incorporate a toasting chamber with a toasting carriage moveable between an upper position and a lower position against a biasing spring for a toasting cycle. A handle is provided for moving the carriage to the lower position. At the same time as being moved to the lower position the toasting carriage makes switch contacts for energising toaster elements and to begin the toasting cycle. An electric solenoid catch holds the toasting carriage in the lower position for the period of the toasting cycle. At the end of the toasting cycle the toasting carriage is automatically released and the spring raises the toasting carriage to a first ejection position to “pop-up” the toasted item.
The applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,662 describes a toaster of this type which addresses the problem of allowing smaller toasted items to be more easily removed from the toaster. The handle serves not only for lowering the carriage, but it may also be actuated to raise the carriage above the first ejection position, thereby allowing smaller items to be extended further from the toasting chamber, thus allowing them to be more readily removed. It will be understood that there remains a need for an improved toaster of this general type and particularly one providing a carriage-raising mechanism which is easier to use.
One of the problems with prior art toasters of this type is that, because a part of the carriage abuts the switch for operating the toaster elements, at the end of the cycle upward movement of the carriage is necessary before the switch is once again opened, to cut power to the elements. If the carriage is jammed, as by an item to be toasted, when in a position in which the switch remains closed then this can result in the item being burnt or, more seriously, a fire. There is, therefore, a need for a toaster which prevents power supply being maintained to the elements after the solenoid catch has been released, in the case where the carriage is jammed at or near its toasting position. It is an object of the present invention to address these needs or more generally to provide an improved electric toaster.